Hundreds of tourists flocked to Phuket on its first day of reopening.

On July 1st, the popular resort island of Phuket in southern Thailand reopened to international tourists after more than a year without foreign visitors due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Phuket is also the first of these destinations.Six tourist destinations in Thailand welcome international visitors back., according to a new tourism model called "Phuket Sandbox". Tourists visiting Phuket must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Một trong những du khách đầu tiên đặt chân đến Phuket trong ngày mở cửa trở lại — One of the first tourists to arrive in Phuket on the day it reopened.

These international tourists do not need to quarantine upon arrival in Phuket. They only need to have a Covid-19 test upon arrival and wait for the results in their hotel room. If the result is negative, they can travel freely within the province.

According to the Bangkok Post, on July 1st, hundreds of passengers on flights from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Israel, and Singapore landed on Phuket Island.

Trang thông tin du lịch và phong cách sống Travellive+

Du khách được nhân viên sân bay Phuket hướng dẫn làm thủ tục — Tourists are guided through the check-in process by Phuket airport staff.

Nhân viên sân bay đón chờ những du khách đầu tiên — Airport staff welcome the first travelers.

Tài xế các khách sạn chờ đợi du khách ở sân bay — Hotel drivers wait for tourists at the airport.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, Director-General of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), stated that the total number of passengers on the first four flights to Phuket was 366; however, only 322 passengers held Certificates of Eligibility (COEs) and were allowed to stay in Phuket. The remainder were transit passengers or unvaccinated tourists.

Chuyến bay chở những du khách quốc tế đầu tiên tới Phuket được chào đón bằng vòi rồng — The first flight carrying international tourists to Phuket was greeted with water cannons.

The first flight carrying international tourists to Phuket on July 1st was greeted with a water cannon salute from fire trucks. The first group of tourists then underwent screening procedures. They were required to download the Thailand Plus and Mor Chana apps.

Omar Ricalraeesi (37 years old), a tourist from the UAE who has visited Phuket 15 times, shared about his planned 8-day trip: "After two years without traveling, I chose the 'Phuket sandbox' to change my mood."

A British tourist said he would be staying on the island for a month and was looking forward to reuniting with his family. "My children live here, so I'll get to see them," he shared.

Du khách lấy mẫu xét nghiệm ngay tại sân bay — Tourists get tested right at the airport.

The Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports stated that the first 14 days of implementing the "Phuket Sandbox" model will be a crucial testing phase to pave the way for other areas in southern Thailand to reopen.

Phuket's reopening depends heavily on vaccination efforts, requiring 70% of the local population to be vaccinated. According to CNN statistics on June 30th, over 80% of Phuket's population had received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, and approximately 65% of the island's population had received the full course of vaccinations.